EY's benchmark survey of the hotel sector in the Middle East indicates  that the average occupancy rate at four- and five-star hotels in Beirut  was 46.4% in the first 10 months of 2023 relative to 51% in the sameperiod of 2022, and compared to an average rate of 63.6% in 13 Arab  markets included in the survey. The occupancy rate at Beirut hotels was  the lowest in the region in the first 10 months of the year, while it wasthe fifth lowest in the same period of 2022. The occupancy rate at  Beirut hotels was 36.8% in January, 35.6% in February, 38.2% in  March, 33.4% in April, 49.2% in May, 57.4% in June, 64.6% in July,  53.6% in August, 62.2% in September, and 31.8% in October 2023.  In comparison, it was 34.7% in January, 43.8% in February, 52.7% inMarch, 25.8% in April, 52.5% in May, 60.4% in June, 75% in July,  64% in August, 68.5% in September, and 41% in October 2022. The  occupancy rate at hotels in Beirut decreased by 4.7 percentage points  in the first 10 months of 2023 from the same period of 2022. In comparison, the average occupancy rate in Arab markets improved by 4.5  percentage points in the covered period.  Also, the average rate per room at Beirut hotels was LBP13.3m ($148) in the first 10 months of 2023, relative to LBP2.2m ($59) in the  same period of 2022, and constituted the sixth lowest rate in the region. EY indicated that it based its average rate per room at Beirut  hotels on the exchange rate of the Lebanese pound to the US dollar that the hotels used at the time of the client's booking. The average  rate per room in Beirut was lower than the regional average of $173.3 that increased by $18.2, or by 11.7%, from an average of $155.2  in the same period of 2022. The average rate per room at Beirut hotels was LBP2.9m ($50) in January, LBP4.4m ($51) in February,LBP6.3m ($59) in March, LBP6.7m ($69.2) in April, LBP15.26m ($162) in May, LBP17.1m ($185) in June, LBP20m ($221) in July,  LBP18m ($220) in August, LBP15.2m ($170) in September, and LBP14.2m ($159) in October of 2023. In comparison, it was LBP1.4m  ($69) in January, LBP1.4m ($67) in February, LBP1.4m ($61) in March, LBP2m ($72.3) in April, LBP2.5m ($79) in May, LBP2.1m  ($75) in June, LBP2.7m ($88) in July, LBP2.8m ($87) in August, LBP2.5m ($69) in September, and LBP1.9m ($51) in October 2022.  Further, revenues per available room (RevPAR) stood at LBP6.1m ($69) at Beirut hotels in the covered period compared to LBP1.1m  ($30) in the first 10 months of 2022, and were the second lowest in the region. In comparison, the average RevPAR in Arab markets was$112.2 in the covered period. The RevPAR at hotels in Beirut reached LBP1.06m ($18) in January, LBP1.58m ($18) in February,  LBP2.4m ($23) in March, LBP2.2m ($23.1) in April, LBP7.5m ($80) in May, LBP9.78m ($106) in June, LBP12.8m ($143) in July,  LBP9.6m ($107) in August, LBP9.4m ($106) in September, and LBP4.5m ($50) in October 2023. In comparison, it was LBP505,622  ($24) in January, LBP602,568 ($29) in February, LBP760,794 ($32) in March, LBP501,535 ($18.7) in April, LBP1.3m ($42) in May,  LBP1.27m ($45) in June, LBP2m ($66) in July, LBP1.8m ($56) in August, LBP1.7m ($47) in September, and LBP766,657 ($21) in October 2022. Dubai had the highest hotel occupancy rate in the region at 79.2% in the first 10 months of 2023, as well has the highest average rate per room at $292, and the highest RevPAR at $231 in the covered period. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank, January 8-13, 2024